Realty Office: 215 S. Broadway Riverton WY 82501

SOLD: 316 N. 2nd W., Riverton, Wyoming

(But they have others!)

$219,000

Contact Judy Bauman-Broker/Owner

307.856.1818 or 307.851.1756

judy@cgrsells.com

Updated 1940’s home with lots of charm and all the space you need for modern living. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the creative electric fireplace in the living room, tile baths and flooring, hardwood flooring, spacious second level bedrooms, bonus basement rooms, and the charming back yard offering mature landscaping and a large patio-convenient for entertaining. Tasteful and timeless…call Judy Bauman today to schedule your private tour!

click on the image above for a full list of Big Horn Basin Folk Festival Events & Details!

“Hear Me Now” — Wyoming Storytellers Take Spotlight

By Ellen Sue Blakely

Images provided by Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation

For a full schedule of presenters during “Hear Me Now” Storytelling Circle, August 6-7, see www.wyomingfolkfestival.com. Other weekend events include the Gift of the Waters Pageant Days, Kiwanis Craft Fair and the Big Horn Basin Folk Festival, with music performances all day, demonstrators, workshops, food vendors, juried art show & sale and kid-friendly activities.

When we were kids and all the cousins gathered for the annual Fourth of July ice cream and watermelon feast, our great aunt Kate kept all of us in line by expounding on a “haint” she called “Rawhide and bloody bones.” For years, we assumed Aunt Kate had made up this scary haunt of a creature.

It turns out that Kate had borrowed and adapted “Rawhide” from an Irish tale — probably one she had heard as a child from her grandparents who had come from the Emerald Isle. Aunt Kate is long gone; but, to this day, her scary rendition still brings chills and laughter to the now-aging cousins.

That’s the power of story. If you have ever sat around a campfire and told (or listened to) ghost stories or tall tales, you know its spell. Those who study stories as an art form say telling stories is the oldest art form; and from it grew poetry — rhyming was a way of remembering a longer story.

Although there has not been an organized effort at preserving Wyoming’s stories in recent years, our people have always been inveterate storytellers. Mountain men told plenty of whoppers when they gathered at the fur-trading rendezvous. Music and storytelling were common in the Native American tipis, cowboy bunkhouses, farmhand shacks and homestead cabins. It still is. Given half a chance, today’s outfitters, hunters and fishermen will regale listeners with tales about the “ones that got away.”

This year, Wyoming is taking a step to share our long-standing storytelling tradition at “Hear Me Now,” the state’s first organized Storytelling Circle. (The concept of a “storytelling circle” harks back to those days of campfires and tipis.) The event is part of the Big Horn Basin Festival, August 6-7, 2016, in Hot Springs State Park, Thermopolis. “Hear Me Now” is sponsored by Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation with a ThinkWyoming grant from the Wyoming Humanities Council. Additional support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund and Wyoming Arts Council.

“Hear Me Now” will be moderated by Spencer Bohren, nationally known musician and storyteller. Although Bohren now lives in New Orleans, Wyomingites still claim him as their own since he grew up in Casper, and his family still lives and plays music there. Bohren maintains strong ties with the state, presenting educational programs in the schools and public performances in Wyoming communities throughout the year.

Professional storytellers telling tales throughout the day are Michelle King, Basin; Catherine Ringler, Powell; Marilyn Braaten, Thermopolis, and Jennisen Lucas, Cody. The group recently formed the Big Horn Basin Storytelling Guild to promote the art of storytelling.

Echo Klaproth, Shoshoni, former Wyoming poet laureate, and Dick Hall, Thermopolis, cowboy poet, will bring poetry into the tent. Mike Hurwitz, who will be performing at the Big Horn Basin Folk Festival during the weekend, will drop by with his own brand of Western stories. Karl Milner, who specializes in mountain man skills, will add a story or two from the mountain man era. Annie Hatch, Wyoming Arts Council folk arts specialist, will give a bit of historical perspective on the art of Wyoming storytelling. Miss V, sometimes called “The Gypsy Cowbelle,” will talk about her adventures homesteading in Wyoming.

As a special feature, Spencer Bohren will perform his nationally acclaimed “Down the Dirt Road Blues,” 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Sunday, August 7, in the Storytelling Tent. Bohren uses historic music instruments as he tells how one song moved from its African roots to blues to rock and roll.

“Hear Me Now” is free and of interest to all ages. Visitors can “come sit a spell” and — if you are so inclined — you can even add your own tales — true or otherwise — during the open microphone opportunities.

After all, if you don’t tell your favorite story, who will?

Ellen Sue Blakey of Thermopolis is a textile artist, rug braider, author, musician and occasional storyteller. You can hear and see her story about rug braiding and Depression-era women on youtube. If you attend the Storytelling Circle, look her up, say the magic words “Uncle Charlie”; she may just tell you the story of Charlie, the sheriff’s hat, a blackberry pie, and how he came to Wyoming.

THE BENT & RUSTY COTTON COMPANY

of Laramie has lots happening!

Out & About around Southeast Wyoming today (July 16)?

Check out Laramie’s The Bent & Rusty Cotton Company‘s Barn Sale! “The Bent & Rusty Barn Sale is open early. 10% OFF your entire purchase. Located at 4733 West End Road. Head South out of Laramie on US HWY 287 for 1.5 miles and follow the colorful flags and Barn Sale signs. Call 307-760-4139 for questions.” They have really fun & unique items & decor!

Visit their Downtown Laramie store at 117 E Grand Ave!

Check out their Jennifer Casebeer’s Pop Up Art Gallery, July 21-23!

“Bring your old barn door, gate, rusty corrugated tin, rusty tractor fender and have Jennifer Casebeer paint cowboy boots, cattle, roosters and more on it. Talented acrylic paint artist that brings life to your favorite western art with the relics of the past as her canvas. Mark your calendar!!”

Laramie’s Scrap Tree & Customizable Art

1305 S. 3rd St., Laramie

307.745.5141

Laramie’s Scrap Tree store, a treasure of scrapbooking, card making and other crafty wonders, was featured in our Summer 2015 issue of WLM. At the time, we also pointed out another side to their business – custom glassware, wood (and new cast iron!) items that can be personalized to reflect a wedding or anniversary, as well as lots of great Wyoming bucking horse items! Artist Joe Hageman is a Renaissance man, with multiple hats as a long-time Laramie attorney, co-owner of Scrap Tree with his lovely wife Manni, and his expanding art business. Available to ship and very customizable, check out Scrap Tree and contact them for someone special on your list (or perhaps yourself!)

Joe took this brand for a couple, and blasted it into their wedding goblets …The finished goblets for the couple!

Otto, WY teen finishes in Top 10 at Distinguished Young Women National Competition

After two weeks of community engagement, rehearsals, and competition, Zariah Tolman, Distinguished Young Woman of Wyoming, placed in the top 10 at the national scholarship competition in Mobile, Alabama. The Otto teen advanced to the finals Saturday after shining on stage with a clogging routine, and impressing judges with her well-spoken and poised demeanor. The 51 young women who competed this past weekend were evaluated by a panel of five judges in the following categories, which are the same at every level of competition: Scholastics (25%), Interview (25%), Talent (20%), Fitness (15%), and Self-Expression (15%).

Tolman was named Distinguished Young Woman of Wyoming in October of 2015 in Laramie, winning a total of $2,900 in scholarships at the state level. As a top 10 finalist, she earned an additional $2,500 at the national competition. She plans to use that scholarship money to attend Montana State University where she will major in cell biology and neuroscience, and compete for the university’s track team.

This is the first time a Wyoming representative has been named a top 10 finalist at the national level in three decades. State Chairman Maryalice Gulino marked this as an exciting time for the Distinguished Young Women program.

“Zariah’s placement at nationals not only is a testament to the incredible young woman Zariah is and a celebration of the successful life she’s led to this point, but it also brings national awareness to the accomplishments of young women in this state as a whole,” said Gulino.

For more information on Distinguished Young Women of Wyoming, please contact Maryalice Gulino at 307-460-1859 or wyoming@distinguishedyw.org.

About Distinguished Young Women

Founded in 1958 in Mobile, Alabama, Distinguished Young Women is the largest and oldest national scholarship program for high school girls. During its 58 years of operation, the program has provided life-changing experiences for more than 740,000 young women. Last year, Distinguished Young Women provided more than $820 million in cash and college scholarship opportunities to program participants at the local, state and national level. Previously known as America’s Junior Miss, the program announced its new name in June 2010.

The mission of Distinguished Young Women is to positively impact the lives of young women by providing a transformative experience that promotes and rewards scholarship, leadership and talent. National sponsors include Mobile County, City of Mobile, Wintzell’s Oyster House, The Hearin-Chandler Foundation, Encore Rehabilitation, Alabama Power Foundation, Master Boat Builders, Barbara Barrington Jones Family Foundation, Regions Financial Corporation, and Alabama Media Group.

It’s a big time of year across Wyoming – JULY!! Green River Rendezvous in Pinedale, Wyo Rodeo in Sheridan, Laramie Jubilee Days, Cheyenne Frontier Days, county rodeos, OH MY! So much fun! Excited to help promote it all … Check out the images for both the Meet Me on the Green Pageant & Parade (part of Green River Rendezvous in Pinedale), and Laramie Jubilee Days’ schedule of events …

WHP TROOPER INJURED RESPONDING TO SHOTS FIRED CALL

Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Joel Eldred was involved in a crash near Glenrock on June 30th. Trooper Eldred is a 12 year veteran with the Patrol and is stationed out of Glenrock.

Trooper Eldred was responding emergent to a “shots fired” call in Douglas with both the emergency lights and sirens activated on his Dodge Charger patrol car. While passing eastbound traffic on US 20/26 at mile post 163.63, a 2002 Jeep SUV traveling east turned left into a commercial business driveway in front of the passing patrol car. The Jeep was driven by 49 year old Jamestown, Louisiana resident Robin Belgard. Trooper Eldred applied emergency braking and steered his patrol car into the north ditch to avoid the Jeep. Despite Trooper Eldred’s efforts to avoid a crash, the two vehicles still collided as the patrol car entered the ditch. After entering the ditch, Trooper Eldred’s patrol car rolled a minimum of four times. The Jeep spun around on the highway and came to rest facing west in the westbound lane of US 20/26.

Robin Belgard was treated for her injuries and was released from the hospital on June 30th.

Trooper Eldred had attended WHP sponsored training the day before this crash occurred titled Below 100. The Below 100 program is a nationwide training initiative being given to Troopers and other law enforcement agencies in Wyoming to minimize the amount of officer involved deaths across the United States. Wearing your seat belt, wearing your ballistic vest and preparing for traffic to turn left in front of officers during emergency response are three main points emphasized in the Below 100 program.

No citations have been issued from this crash at the time of this update. Trooper Eldred is expected to be discharged from the hospital today (July 1st) and to make a full recovery from his injuries.